Busan Friday: Race-By-Race Preview (November 17)

Temperatures are set to drop below zero for the first time this autumn/winter season this weekend but racing will go on! The action gets underway at Busan on Friday with 11 races from 11:30 to 18:00. Let’s get after them!

Race 1: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

(8) NINA has looked decent enough in two starts so far with a 5th and a 3rd at this distance and it seems likely Bart Rice will have her ready to win this. (11) SUPER TRAIN debuted inauspiciously all the way back in January and hadn’t been seen again until looking much more accomplished in a trial a couple of weeks ago and has every chance of going well against this modest lot. We’re scratching around with the others to find any clues. (4) MAKGANG YEOGEOL and (12) SOJUNGHAN GIRL are perhaps the best contenders for improvement.

Selections

(8) Nina (11) Super Train (4) Makgang Yeogeol (12) Sojunghan Girl

Next Best

5, 7

Fast Start

3, 5, 6, 8

Race 2: Class 6 (1000M) Allowance / KRW 55 Million

Seven first-timers take on five with previous, albeit limited, experience. The only one of them who has raced more than once, (3) CHANG GONG, will be favourite. He weakened over 1200M on debut but ran on much better when dropped back to this distance for his re-appearance on October 13th and can lead from gate to wire. The other ones who have raced before don’t inspire at all so we’ll look to the first-timers to fill out the tickets. (9) ROYAL TREE looks the pick of them, having led a trial and run on well enough while (2) GABO TRIPLE and (7) BIG RED IJI also look to have some potential. As ever with these kinds of races, watch the market.

Selections

(3) Chang Gong (9) Royal Tree (7) Big Red Iji (2) Gabo Triple

Next Best

1, 6

Fast Start

2, 3, 9, 12

Race 3: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

(6) PINK BLUE was favourite when stepped up to a mile last month following two solid performances at this distance. It didn’t go to plan as he finished in 6th but finds himself dropped back to 1300M today and surely in with a far better chance. Expect him to be a warm favourite. Another who foundered at a mile last time out was (5) EXPRESSIVE and he too should go better at shorter today while (10) ACE FORCE enters having performed with reasonable credit in two very tough juvenile races in his most recent two and should find today’s company more amenable Up in trip after a 4th on debut, (8) RARARA can go well while (9) HOMERUN BALL was much improved last start and can build on it today.

Selections

(6) Pink Blue (5) Expressive (10) Ace Force (8) Rarara

Next Best

9, 2

Fast Start

8, 10

Race 4: Class 6 (1300M) Allowance / KRW 22 Million

Four of these raced each other in a stiff contest on October 27th and while (3) DAEHO MYEONGGA finished the best of them, coming home in 5th, (4) FIRST SHINHWA, one length behind in 6th, has shown enough across his four starts so far to suggest that he has wins in him. He’s not a quick starter and last time never quite managed to find top gear last time but he’s worth another go here. Daeho Myeongga obviously has claims too as does the 7th that day, (1) JANGHAN JILJU. (9) TONGHAP BULPAE is a likely pacesetter and can perhaps stay on a bit better today than in his latest two – he’s certainly managed it before – while (12) ACE WOMAN’s latest run offers some hope.

Just fillies (and one mare) here and (7) SAEROUN JILJU’s form so far shapes well here. She was 3rd in a similar race to this on October 15th, beating a couple of these along the way. She came from off the pace that day, as she has done in all her three races, running on very nicely. Well back that day was (8) JIRANJIGYO, but Thomas Gillespie’s filly returned two weeks ago to run a much improved 2nd and while she carries a little more weight today, has solid claims. (4) VIVA VICTORY and (9) QUEEN OF CAPTAIN are the likely early pace-setters and both should have enough to be involved at the business end of proceedings while (5) PERFECT DIVA has run well enough in this level of company to have a good chance of at least some minor money.

Class and distance winner on October 20th, (4) THUNDER DOME has an extra 4kg on his back today has drawn well to get out in a hurry and into an early lead that he should have every chance of maintaining all the way around. (8) BAENGNYEON SONNIM chased Thunder Dome round last time, eventually coming home in 3rd place and can go involved once more. Despite being yet to get his maiden win, (2) STAR LINE finds himself up in class following consecutive 2nd place finishes and should be competitive in this company while (7) CAPTAIN GUY latest run at a mile can be ignored just as much as his easy win at the same distance in a poor race the time before He drops back in trip today and should be on the early speed with Thunder Dome. The more experienced (11) BEONGGEULBEONGGEUL can also have his latest discounted and can go better here.

Selections

(4) Thunder Dome (2) Star Line (8) Baengnyeon Sonnim (7) Captain Guy

Next Best

11, 5

Fast Start

1, 4, 7

Race 7: Class 5 (1600M) Handicap / KRW 40 Million

Decent contest this and David Miller’s (5) ROCK HARD SEVEN steps up in class following a convincing win over 1300M three weeks ago He’s up in distance to a mile as well but that could well suit and he looks to have every chance. Back in September, Rock Hard Seven was well back behind (1) SEUNGSEUNG JANGGUN. The latter went on to somewhat surprisingly score at this class and distance last month and while he is up in the weights today, he’s the main danger. (9) HAEUNGUN STORY beat three of these on his way to 2nd place on his first try at this distance a month ago and can beat plenty again while (11) BARONESS and the up in class (12) SUPER SUPREME, a really good winner at this distance on October 27th, are others in the frame.

(2) ROYAL HEART is a two-time winner at this distance already and while he did come up short as favourite last time out a month ago, he is favoured to return to the winner’s circle here. The biggest threat is posed by (1) GEURAE JOA, who has also won at this distance in the past and enters after a solid victory at 1400M last month and is likely to go forward and set the pace today. (7) ECTON BULPAE was well back behind GEURAE JOA last time but is surely better than that, likewise (9) CHASTITY’s latest two can be discounted. The vastly experienced (8) WINNING NUMBER showed some signs of a return to form last start and could challenge for a place here.

Selections

(2) Royal Heart (1) Geurae Joa (7) Ecton Bulpae (9) Chastity

Next Best

8, 4

Fast Start

1, 9

Race 9: Class 4 (1200M) Handicap / KRW 55 Million

An also-ran in the Korean Oaks, (2) DAEHO CHUKJE has been no worse than 4th in four efforts since the fillies’ Classic and could finally return to winning ways today. She was 3rd last time at this distance in what was perhaps a slightly tougher race than this and she should go very close. She’ll have to catch a couple of front-runners to do so. (5) SEULVELY beat three of these on her way to a class and distance 3rd place just two weeks ago while (6) GAME CHANGER struggled when sent up to a mile last month and should be much happier dropped back a couple of furlongs today. (8) SEGYE RANKING can build on a 6th of 11 on his first start for five months two weeks ago and can also get close.

Selections

(2) Daeho Chukje (5) Seulvely (6) Game Changer (8) Segye Ranking

Next Best

9, 1

Fast Start

5, 6

Race 10: Class 1 (1800M) Handicap / KRW 110 Million

No fewer than five of these are up to class 1 for the first time and take their chance in this event which is limited to horses rated up to 100. Four of those look to have plenty to find but one of them, (7) GREAT KING, should have every chance. A two-time winner at this distance already, he prevailed by five lengths in a very solid class 2 event just two weeks ago and looks very nicely in here. Of the others up in class, (10) GOOD CASTING, racing for the first time since June looks best placed to deal with the step up at this point in time with (12) THE GRAND more a longer shot but not impossible. (1) WISH ME LUCK found it hard on his first try at this level in September but can improve here while (2) CHEONJI PARK enters having performed creditably in tough company recently and is in the frame. Likewise (4) TWO TWO RAPTOR and (8) USEUNG LINE can get close in what looks a nicely open race.

Selections

(7) Great King (2) Cheonji Park (1) Wish Me Luck (10) Good Casting

Next Best

4, 8, 6

Fast Start

1, 5, 7

Race 11: Class 3 (1400M) Handicap / KRW 75 Million

Four of these raced each other in a strong class and distance contest on October 20th. (10) MORNING PARK and (7) CHOEGANG FORCE ONE came home in 3rd and 4th place respectively that day, bringing to an end the latter’s three-race winning streak. Those two are the top picks today and Choegang Force One is fancied to overturn the form. Korean Derby also-ran (4) MUHAN YEOLJEONG races for the first time since June and looked sharp in a trial earlier this month while (8) TAEYANGUI SINHWA, who also went in the Derby has been no worse than 4th in his most recent four efforts and can keep that run going today. (1) SMART GENTLEMAN is another in at least the placing frame.